title: Neurophysiological evidence for cognitive and brain functional adaptation in adolescents living at high altitude.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Neurophysiological methods were used to study the effects of high altitude living on brain functions in a subgroup of participants of the Bolivian Children Living at Altitude (BoCLA) project.
  
  
  METHODS
  Electroencephalogram (EEG), event-related potentials (ERP) and cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) were recorded in two groups of adolescents (aged 13-16 years), living either at sea-level or high altitude (~3700m).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neuropsychological testing revealed no deficits in the high altitude group, despite significantly reduced blood oxygen saturation. In agreement, ERPs elicited by oddball target detection and choice reaction time tasks were not different between groups. In contrast, resting state EEG showed reductions in delta and beta frequency amplitudes in adolescents living at high altitude. The EEG attenuations were correlated with lower CBFV, and the EEG group differences diminished during task performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No indication was found for negative sequelae of chronic hypoxia in adolescents born and living at an altitude of ~3700m, rather evidence for successful neurophysiological adaptation was found under such conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dynamic regulation of metabolic demand is one adaptive mechanism that preserves cognitive development at high altitude.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Southampton, UK. c.richardson@derby.ac.uk
authors.forename: Cassandra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.forename: Alexandra M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hogan
authors.forename: Romola S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Bucks
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baya
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Virues-Ortega
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Holloway
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rose-Zerilli
authors.forename: Lyle J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: Rebecca J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.forename: Fenella J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Kirkham
authors.forename: Torsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baldeweg
mesh_terms: D000064:Acclimatization / Q000502:physiology*; D000220:Adaptation, Biological; D000293:Adolescent; D000531:Altitude; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen